Maglite announces 3W LED product at SHOT Show 2006

Yup.... Maglite has some 3 watt LED products that they just announced at SHOT 2006.

I'll take a MiniMag LED.. make mine a blue please (yes they still come in colors )

And there is rejoicing from the Mag fans! :buddies:

I am glad they jumped on the bandwagon!
I hope it will be a throw monster!

well, good for them.... its nothing that we havent already seen.

-David

It looks like what all the CPF modders have done
The other thing looks like a pot/pill thing from something like EverLED or Teklight LED replacements
I think they miiiiiggghttt just be using a boost circut.

It's going to be a looooong six months

It will be interesting to see what type of regulation/output these lights have, as well as the msrp.

I'd say the actual looks of these lights is the least important part, but that appears to be all we'll get until the end of Summer.

Color me unimpressed.

The drop-in is merely a slightly larger EverLED (IP infringement?) and will probably only be marginally brighter. The 2AA and 3AA are more interesting, but the market is already flooded with those form factors. Even with a redesign of the focus mechanism, it would be extremely difficult to get a good thermal path, so I don't see their large LED models being much brighter than the drop-in

Looks like I'll still be doing mods for a while.

I'm more interested in the economics behind this since a good part of Maglight's business is selling replacement bulbs. Maybe the LED version will be priced high enough to make up the profits lost on the average number of replacement lamps per unit. Or maybe Mag is simply targeting mainly those who are already buying LED. Certainly good news but I wonder about the rationale for this from a business standpoint.

Navck said:

I think they miiiiiggghttt just be using a boost circut.

Click to expand...

Sorry, how can you tell without having tried it out yet?

The D-cell lights look like stock bulb replacements and don't interest me at all, but I'm sure the AA models are totally redesigned. They just got a patent for a very complicated focusing mechanism that looks like it's for an AA flashlight. I'd love to see one in person. Probably will buy a 3AA when it comes out.

I have a hard time imagining Mag would make something that infringes on another company's patent, if there is one. They know the legal thing well enough to make enough changes so they won't step on toes. Or they could have bought it from a company already making them.

I would be my guess that the 2D/C bulb replacements would be boost and the 3+ D/C would be buck (or resistive drop) simply due to the voltage available and the typical Vf of Luxeon LEDs. It will be interesting to see some real-life testing on these.

Paul

Well, the LED alone costs under twenty bucks. Slap on the price of an actual light, these things might be double what the incans cost. I could pick up two Mag bulbs for the D/Cs for five bucks. Then again...this is an LED. They last longer than most humans do. And that's just runtime. That'd be an interesting picture, a Nite Ize or Mag drop-in sitting next to all the regular bulbs you can buy for the same price. Will the price drive the public away? Yes, at first. Once they realize that these things last ten times longer than the old D-Cell bulbs they keep in the junk drawer, they'll shell out double for the camping trips.

cheapo said:

well, good for them.... its nothing that we havent already seen.

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O RLY?

We haven't seen Mag Industries embrace LED technology yet. I am eagerly waiting the release of the first MagLED units so that I can see their take on LED.

Wow! This thread sure started filling with uninformed negativity quick. Kevin, thanks for the report. I followed the link you had on that site to a report on Bulk's forum, and appreciated Geologist's images. Their thread is filled with uninformed negativity too.

If you want more accurate description, check out PocketLight's report, or the excellent report from JimH.

Edited to correct a terrible spelling error

Well, if Mag is going to release a 3W 3aa regulated light, maybe it will convince Gerber to regulate their LX3.

Empath said:

Wow! This thread sure started filling with uniformed negativity quick.

Click to expand...

Yup.

One thing that many people forget is that Mag wants to manufacture practical flashlights that can sell for a reasonable price. The reputation of their company among average consumers is also on the line. Their focus is going to be on consistent quality and reliability, not on making the most cutting-edge design. (Other companies will do that, but it's not part of Mag's business experience and they would be foolish to pretend otherwise.)

Sure, the design of their new C & D cell flashlights looks a lot like the Mag mods that we have seen, but so what? I like that Luxeon + reflector combination, and I look forward to a Mag product that uses it. It will be more durable and less expensive than an EverLED or homemade mod.

Merged with the ongoing Mag LED thread.

-dan

Re: MagLite news, they will be offering LED lights

Thanks for the extra links Empath

Thats helps a bit more.

IF

I don't know (does anyone?) but I would imagine that Mags biggest seller is the AA Minimag? If this is the case and I personally think it is then it would be likely that Jim H's report (see above)indicates that Maglite are really going to town to produce a really practical and durable AA light that will appeal to a broad range of consumers.

There is no doubt that providing the cost isn't excessive many government departments would rather do business with Maglite than go elswhere. At present many buyers give up on Minimags because of poor performance and short bulb/battery life. If they can produce a 3 watt Led which regulates itself to prevent overheating and performs as well as I suspect, then Maglite may well maintain their market share of AA size lights in the future?

The obvious lack of innovation with the drop in LED's for the C & D size lights seems to me to be a prudent way of giving consumers the option of changing away from incandescent bulbs whilst not commiting Maglite to a complete retool of their existing lineup of larger Mags.

Of course I am relying on Jim's quick review of the new AA size Mags to base this opinion but as I have confidence in Jim I think I might be pretty close to the mark?

Doug

True, Mags aren't something I'd use while robbing a museum or working the other side and hopping fences after some guy with a bag full of some one else's jewelry. I consider Maglites to be the bare minimum for a good light. If my relatives had to be stuck in a stairwell during a blackout with a single light, I'd rather it be a Mini-Mag rather than some grocery store piece of junk. Sure, in a perfect world we'd all come out of the womb and be handed Surefires, but Mags are decent quality for a low price. Now that these are coming out, the Unenlightened will really understand that LEDs really work. Sure, it took Mag ten years to simply do what everyone else was doing, the power of their name alone will help us all with the competition they'll provide. I just saw them for the first time an hour ago. The Target near me is selling out all their Mags like rapid-fire because they've been priced down to make room for these. I got a few MMs for cheap for when Nite Ize makes those color LEDs. Will I get an MLED? Maybe, maybe not, but these things even existing got me a discount on some lights I was going to purchase anyway. Same with everyone who bought those other lights on sale. We saved money, and more good lights are out in the world. Do I have any bad feelings about Mag? Yes. Simply because they didn't LED a Solitaire. Besides that, we're all on the same team here, lighting up the same darkness.

Re: MagLite news, they will be offering LED lights

Unmerged. Sorry Dano.

The previous thread, "MagLite news, they will be offering LED lights", due to it's length and dated content, has been closed. The topic is still a hot topic, but due to this thread being more timely, the old thread contains a link to this one.